- Behold:
- "Therefore¹ thus¹ saithª° the Lordª GOD;ª Behold,¹ I [am] against¹ thee, O Tyrus,ª and will cause manyª nationsª to come upª° against¹ thee, as the seaª causeth his wavesª to come up.ª° ... And her daughtersª which¹ [are] in the fieldª shall be slainª° by the sword;ª and they shall knowª° that¹ I¹ [am] the LORD.ª" {Ezk 26:3-6} contain a summary prediction of what befell both the continental and insular Tyre, during a long succession of ages. The former was totally destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, after a siege of thirteen years, bc 573; and the latter, which arose out of its ruins, after seventy years recovered its ancient wealth and splendour, as foretold by Isaiah ("And it shall come to pass¹ in that¹ day,ª that Tyreª shall be forgottenª° seventyª years,ª according to the daysª of oneª king:ª after the endª¹ of seventyª yearsª shall Tyreª singª as an harlot.ª° ... And it shall come to pass¹ after the endª¹ of seventyª years,ª that the LORDª will visitª°¹ Tyre,ª and she shall turnª° to her hire,ª and shall commit fornicationª° with¹ all¹ the kingdomsª of the worldª upon¹ the faceª of the earth.ª" {Isa 23:15-17}). After it was taken and burnt by Alexander, bc 332, it speedily recovered its strength and dignity, and nineteen years afterwards withstood both the fleets and armies of Antigonus. Agreeably to the prophetic declarations ("And the daughterª of Tyreª [shall be there] with a gift;ª [even] the richª among the peopleª shall intreatª° thy favour.ª" {Psa 45:12} + "The kingsª of Tarshishª and of the islesª shall bringª° presents:ª the kingsª of Shebaª and Sebaª shall offerª° gifts.ª" {Psa 72:10} + "And her merchandiseª and her hireª shall be¹ holinessª to the LORD:ª it shall not¹ be treasuredª° nor¹ laid up;ª° for¹ her merchandiseª shall be¹ for them that dwellª° beforeª the LORD,ª to eatª° sufficiently,ª and for durableª clothing.ª" {Isa 23:18} + "The burdenª of the wordª of the LORDª in the landª of Hadrach,ª and Damascusª [shall be] the restª thereof: when¹ the eyesª of man,ª as of all¹ the tribesª of Israel,ª [shall be] toward the LORD.ª ... And I will take awayª° his bloodª out of his mouth,ª¹ and his abominationsª from between¹¹ his teeth:ª but he that remaineth,ª° even¹ he,¹ [shall be] for our God,ª and he shall be¹ as a governorª in Judah,ª and Ekronª as a Jebusite.ª" {Zch 9:1-7}), it was early converted to Christianity; and after being successively taken by the Saracens, Christians, Mamalukes, and Turks, in whose hands it still remains, it became "a place for the spreading of nets."
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